BrianSmith
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2014
- Messages
- 487
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Smartini
- Vessel Make
- 2002 Kristen 52' Flybridge Trawler
Perkins 6.354, non-turbo. 1974 vintage, has run pretty much flawlessly for the couple hundred hours we've put on it since purchase in July 2015. Total hours in excess of 4,000, in case anyone cares.
Recently, it started, ran for a short time (can't tell you how long, as the other engine was running and we were preparing to depart the slip), then died, and wouldn't restart. Changed the Racor (which was quite dirty), and it ran fine for at least 5 - 6 hours over 2 separate trips, a few weeks apart.
A week after the second successful run, we ran about 90 minutes to our favorite little island (in the ICW) where we anchored for some bottom cleaning, and when we tried to start for the return, it wouldn't start. Or maybe it started, then quickly died - I don't recall. (BTW, on a couple of occasions on the trip to the island, the engine surged a few hundred RPM with no obvious explanation.)
Back home (thanks for that second engine!), we inspected the Racor, but it was squeaky clean. So we replaced the on-engine fuel filter. (Can't tell if it was clean or dirty w/o a new hacksaw blade.) After several failed attempts, we finally got the fuel injection unit properly bled, and then it started and ran just fine. And it started and ran several more times over the next few hours, as we tested it from time to time while working on other projects.
NOTE: during several of the failed attempts - before we got it properly bled, I think - it would start, surge a few hundred RPM, then die, and then not restart, until we went through the whole priming and bleeding thing again.
That was a week ago. This morning, I started it. It fired right up, then after about 5 - 8 seconds, surged a few hundred RPM, then died. It's a two-person job to bleed the injector pump, and I was alone, so I haven't been able to do that to see if any bubbles escape - that's my next move, when I can get another set of hands on the boat.
What might be causing the "start, surge, die" cycle? (I know - I really need to try to bleed it again to see if I get air bubbles, which would indicate some kind of leak somewhere - but I'm hoping maybe someone here will recognize that pattern and blurt out an answer.)
Thanks so much!
Recently, it started, ran for a short time (can't tell you how long, as the other engine was running and we were preparing to depart the slip), then died, and wouldn't restart. Changed the Racor (which was quite dirty), and it ran fine for at least 5 - 6 hours over 2 separate trips, a few weeks apart.
A week after the second successful run, we ran about 90 minutes to our favorite little island (in the ICW) where we anchored for some bottom cleaning, and when we tried to start for the return, it wouldn't start. Or maybe it started, then quickly died - I don't recall. (BTW, on a couple of occasions on the trip to the island, the engine surged a few hundred RPM with no obvious explanation.)
Back home (thanks for that second engine!), we inspected the Racor, but it was squeaky clean. So we replaced the on-engine fuel filter. (Can't tell if it was clean or dirty w/o a new hacksaw blade.) After several failed attempts, we finally got the fuel injection unit properly bled, and then it started and ran just fine. And it started and ran several more times over the next few hours, as we tested it from time to time while working on other projects.
NOTE: during several of the failed attempts - before we got it properly bled, I think - it would start, surge a few hundred RPM, then die, and then not restart, until we went through the whole priming and bleeding thing again.
That was a week ago. This morning, I started it. It fired right up, then after about 5 - 8 seconds, surged a few hundred RPM, then died. It's a two-person job to bleed the injector pump, and I was alone, so I haven't been able to do that to see if any bubbles escape - that's my next move, when I can get another set of hands on the boat.
What might be causing the "start, surge, die" cycle? (I know - I really need to try to bleed it again to see if I get air bubbles, which would indicate some kind of leak somewhere - but I'm hoping maybe someone here will recognize that pattern and blurt out an answer.)
Thanks so much!